Lanying’s grandmother said her birth was an “unfair punishment” because she is a girl. We saved her from being given away!
Lanying was four months old when our fieldworker arrived to offer encouragement and financial help to her family. Lanying is a second daughter. She comes from a remote village and her family is impoverished. Her older sister is nine years old. Like most second daughters, Lanying’s birth did not bring happiness to the family, but sorrow.
Lanying’s family is financially stressed. Her grandmother has high blood pressure and heart disease. There is no health insurance in the countryside, so paying for medication placed additional strain on this already impoverished farming family. Given their financial struggles, mom had no confidence to give birth to a second child. Lanying’s grandmother had encouraged Lanying’s mother to have a second child, believing it would be a boy, because she spent a large sum of money at the local temple to ask that this child would be a boy.
After the second granddaughter was born, her grandmother was extremely frustrated. She said that having another girl is an “unfair punishment!” Why is she no longer healthy? Why is there no grandson for her until today?
When our field workers arrived to visit the mother, the grandmother also participated in the conversation. Lanying’s mom said that God sent angels to them and gave helping hands to this poor family. Our Save a Girl campaign transformed the whole family from hopeless to hopeful. Grandma also changed her attitude and said she was ashamed of herself. She used to be a Christian, but because she wanted to have a grandson, she went to the temple and worshiped an idol. Finally, Jesus Christ came to save them! They are very curious about Christians, who are willing to help them without asking anything in return. These Christians are providing support for the same reason that their community is looking down on them: they are destitute, and they have two daughters.
After meeting with our fieldworkers, Lanying’s mom and grandma now believe that their little beautiful baby girl is a blessing. Grandma no longer thinks about giving her away.
